


I'm fine but I'm lying

by wasbandom



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Big Brother Tyler, M/M, Senior year, Underage Drinking, Violence, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 06:14:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13452231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasbandom/pseuds/wasbandom
Summary: “Tyler, what- no, I do not even want to ask what you mean by that.”Tyler punched him – not hard – but Josh still moaned an 'ouch' and punched back.Tyler hissed in pain. “Dude, I didn't even punch you that hard. What are you like made of sugar?”





	I'm fine but I'm lying

**Author's Note:**

> Tyler and Josh are nearly 18 years old.  
> Zack is fifteen.  
> Maddy and Jay are under 12 years old.

Friday. First period. Oh, how Tyler loved school. He was not even kidding. He would do anything to stay away from home long enough and the eight hours of school everyday are a early Christmas present for him.   
He shuffled through the school corridors trying to avoid human contact as long as possible to get to his locker. Josh was already standing there, back to locker, earphones lazily stuck inside, hands tapping on his thighs, eyes closed. Tyler smiled. He stood next to Josh - the boy not feeling his presence yet - and opened his locker only to shut it again loudly. The redhead jumped out of his place, earphones hitting the ground, eyes widening. Tyler started laughing and couldn't stop. 

“Oh my god – I- I wish you could have seen your face. Shit, that was so funny.” He doubled over, wiping away tears that formed in his eyes. Josh was huffing next to him. “Oh, ha-ha very funny, you unbelievable child. Next time, I'm not going to wait for you again and you can go to chemistry all alone.” Tyler patted Josh's shoulder and they both made their way to the classroom. “Did you see Brendon outside giving away those fliers?” Josh asked curiously as he walks beside Tyler. 

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, was inviting everyone to his party, don't know if I really want to go though. You know I'm not the type of drinking or doing drugs, or well, have human contact. Josh raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “Tyler, what- no, I do not even want to ask what you mean by that.” Tyler punched him – not hard – but Josh still moaned an 'ouch' and punched back. Tyler hissed in pain. “Dude, I didn't even punch you that hard. What are you like made of sugar?” Josh laughed. Tyler tried to avoid his gaze, still clinging to his stomach. Josh stopped walking. “Dude, for real now, did I hurt you that bad?” He looked really worried and Tyler could punch himself for worrying him. 

“What? No- no Josh you didn't. I- I'm just sore from the basketball match with Zach. Everything is good.” He gave him a weak smile. “Okay.” Josh said and smiled back. “Come on we're going to be late.” Josh said and made his way to the classroom. “Yeah, I-I'll be there in two. Just have to use the bathroom real quick.” Josh nodded and entered the room while Tyler rushed over to the boys bathroom. 

He locked himself in a stall and pushed his shirt up. There was a big purple-black bruise covering the left side of his ribs and the middle of his stomach. “Shit,shit.” Tyler cursed and took a deep breath. He pushed his shirt back down and leaned against the bathroom door and tried to calm himself. Josh didn't punch him hard, that was true. But the bruise is still fresh and even little contact hurts so bad it makes Tyler want to cry out loud.

After a couple of seconds of calming himself, he unlocked the door and made his way to the classroom, sinking into his chair next to Josh.  
Well, this is going to be a log day Tyler said and started doodling into his notebook.

\--

“Do you want to hang out after school? We could head to my home, play some Mario Kart and maybe convince you to go to the party with me.” Josh said when the last bell rang and both started to collect their things. Tyler cringed. He had to go home today. His father is at work and his siblings are going to be alone when they come from school. “Sorry, I can't. I have to babysit my siblings. “It's ok.” Josh said and gave him a weak smile. They crossed the school property and before they split their ways Tyler made sure to tell Josh that he will text him.

Not even a second at home, Tyler put down his school bag and jacket to prepare some lunch for his younger siblings. He wasn't a good cook, hell, good was even too much of a word. But he knew that his siblings are rather miserable when they don't have something in their stomachs. He made some scrambled eggs and made some sandwiches. Just as he put everything on the table, the door opened and his three siblings came rushing in. “Hi Ty!” Maddy said and gave him a long hug that hurt his still fresh bruise. He kissed the top of her head and gave Jay and Zack a fist bump. They sat quietly at the table while eating their lunch. Tyler was leaning against the kitchen sink, watching his siblings talking about school. Zack was eyeing him from his seat. A sad look on his face. Tyler reassured him with a smile that he was fine, but Zack nodded to the right and stood up, a motion for Tyler to follow.

They were standing in the living room now, Tyler standing in front of the couch. “What's up, Zacky?” He said, trying to sound as normal as possible. Zack shook his head. “What did he do to you yesterday?” he asked, voice small and broken. Tyler tensed, crossing his arms before his chest. “Wh-what? What are you talking about?” Zach scoffed. “Yeah right, Tyler. I'm fifteen. Not stupid. What did he do to you? I heard a loud thumb and muffled screams. Just tell me. I know you're trying to protect me- us. But this has to stop. You can't be his target for every fucked up thing he does!” Zach looked frustrated and angry. “It's nothing, Zack. Better me than any of you” was the only thing Tyler said before storming off to his room. He locked the door and sprawled himself on his bed, which brought a sharp pain to his ribs. And than he started crying silently. Next to him, his phone started buzzing. He wiped his tears away and looked at the screen.

Incoming message: Jishwa  
So, party or party? 

Tyler sighed. Fuck it he thought and replied.

Going to meet you at Brendon's. 10 PM. 

 

Fuzzy. Everything was fuzzy. It felt like he was watching his body from far away. Josh wasn't next to him. He was sitting on a guy's lap, kissing him fiercely, tasting the alcohol on his tongue. The boy began touching under his shirt, dragging his nails up Tyler's bruise. It was then when Tyler shot up in pain, clinging to the back of the couch, trying not to move. The boy asked if he was okay and Tyler felt nauseous. He stood up from the couch, making his way out of the house. The party was still going, music blaring out of every room. People dancing everywhere. He stumbled, his mind playing with him. He made it to the front of the house but then someone was in front of him, touching his shoulders carefully. “Tyler, shit! Are you ok? I-I have to take you home. Come on.” Tyler grunted, leaning against Josh. “Come on, buddy. I'm sorry. We should have stayed home.” Josh hooked his arm around Tyler's waist. He was careful, but the pain was still there and Tyler cried out and fell down. “Fuck, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.” Tyler started crying. “'nt wanna go 'ome, Joshie. I- I don wanna 'ohome, pleasss.” he cried out and wrapped his arms around himself. Josh was shocked. He knelt down, taking Tyler's face into his hands. “Tyler, did someone hurt you in there? Please tell me, okay? You're scaring me.” Tyler didn't stop crying and clings to Josh for dear life. He can't go home. He can't see his father like this. The disappointment of a son. Useless. Not worth it. Lazy. Stupid.

Words he has to listen to every time his father has a little more than one beer in his system. And he tells him every time: “Dad, maybe you shouldn't drink that.” and every time his father starts shouting and Tyler knows. He knows that this will escalate. So he runs up to Zach and tells him to put the kids in bed and play some music for them, because he knows that his father can become a reckless monster. And he doesn't want his siblings to see. He can't destroy their perfect image of a family. Can't let them hate his father. So Tyler is there to absorb all the insults thrown at him and maybe two or three hits to his stomach, but never his face. Never his face. His father isn't stupid. No, no he isn't. And when Tyler gets angry and tells him to get his shit together maybe there aren't two hits anymore but five or seven or ten. And when he is laying there on the carpet barely breathing his father is satisfied and drowns his last beer and rushes to the bedroom. And Tyler tries to stand up,stumbling into his room. Zach is there on his bed, crying silent tears, apologizing. Tyler takes him into his arms and cries with him.

“You can stay with me tonight. It's alright. I'm just going to tell Zack, okay?” Tyler nodded and then everything was happening in a blur. Josh carying Tyler to the car. Both stumbling into Josh's room. Josh laying Tyler on his bed, taking off his shoes and jeans, covering him in a blanket. And then everything went black.

 

“Can I ask you something?” Josh said. They were both at the kitchen table, eating cereal. Tyler nodded, the little movement causing him more of a headache. Josh stopped eating and eyed him carefully. “What?” Tyler asked and looked down to his cereal. “I- I woke up before you this morning and you were laying next to me but you put the blanket away and your shirt was rolling up and- and I saw that huge bruise and … Tyler … did- who did this?” Tyler's hand began shaking. He tried his best to keep his cool. “No one. Did it myself. Feel down the stairs at home. Nothing to be bothered about.” Josh didn't believe a single thing. “You told me you didn't want to go home last night. Did your dad do that? Please Ty, you – please tell me. I can help you.” And that was it for Tyler. He started sobbing and crying so hard that it was hard to see. Josh was there in an instant, wrapping his arms around the boy in front of him. “I-I can't let him touch my siblings so-so I just take it my-myself. I-I don't know what to do, Josh. I can't take this, I ca-can't take this I'm losing my mind.” “Shh, it's okay. We are going to handle this, okay? We're going to talk to my parents, figure out what to do next, okay? You can tell your siblings to come here, alright? Everything is going to be alright.” He kissed the top of Tyler's head.

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-I always say that I'm fine but it's a lie. A lie. I'm so very far from fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this is taking.  
> Ideas appreciated.  
> <3


End file.
